HABITAT PREFERENCE AND GROWTH OF THE GLASS SHRIMP (PALAEMONETES KADIAKENSIS) IN 
THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER, DUBUQUE COUNTY, IOWA, AND VERNON COUNTY, WISCONSIN.

Amy Waterman, Shelly Klein, Rebecca Rogis, and Daniel Call.
Environmental Science Program, University of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA 52001.

During the months of April through September 2002, a study was conducted on the 
Mississippi River on a somewhat overlooked species, Palaemonetes kadiakensis, 
otherwise known as the glass or ghost shrimp.  This study evaluated the type of 
habitat the shrimp preferred, and measured growth over the spring and summer 
months.  Measurements of body weight, body length, and antenna length were made 
of collected animals.  Various local sites on the Mississippi River and 
tributary streams in Dubuque County, Iowa, were sampled to provide a variety of 
habitat types.  The shrimp was only found at one of these sample sites, where it 
was collected repeatedly.  Glass shrimp were also collected in the Mississippi 
River at Vernon County, Wisconsin, in comparable habitat.  Shrimp were collected 
by means of seines and mini fyke nets.  Some of the habitat observations and 
measurements that were made included a listing of dominant plant species, 
dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and water temperature.  This preliminary study 
suggests that most glass shrimp in this area have a single breeding season, 
likely in late May or early June, and a one-year life span.  Additional sampling 
will be required during this period to obtain gravid females and early juvenile 
animals.  One exceptionally large individual in our samples that was collected 
in September may have been from the previous year-class.  

Keywords:  glass shrimp, invertebrates, macroinvertebrates, Palaemonetes 
kadiakensis, Mississippi River, freshwater shrimp